


Gone Gone Gone

by Tarasova Greene (dracoangelica)



Category: Arcana Chronicles, Poison Princess - Fandom
Genre: Alternative View Point, F/M, Jackson POV, Spoilers for Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-25
Updated: 2013-07-25
Packaged: 2017-12-21 06:51:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/897174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracoangelica/pseuds/Tarasova%20Greene
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The last few chapters of Poison Princess from Jackson's point of view</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gone Gone Gone

I slammed out of the house, my boots bending the old wooden steps on the so-called "totally secure" crash pad. I felt as though I’d burst out of my skin with frustration. My crossbow bounced on my back as I walked towards the dry and fog-shrouded lake, hoping a bagman would wander out just so I could have something to kill.

The smell of honeysuckle was still in my nose. I rubbed at the traitor, wanted to scrub it out, wanted to scrub her out. But she was everywhere. She was in my brain, in my chest and in my bones.  As I walked away from the house, I felt her scent clinging to my clothes, to my hair and skin. Her name hummed through my flesh and with every step I could feel it, thrumming through my body.

I moved until I’d walked through the empty hole that had once been a lake. There had been structures surrounding the feature once, but now, post flash, they were all gone. Just sticks and frames of broken wood that rose around the hole, marking a world that had once come to vacation next to a lot of water. Some piers still were standing, looking like ridiculous skinny models, promising sun and water fun. Maybe expensive boats had been tied to them so their rich owners could zoom around and enjoy the water. Undoubtedly, Evie had stayed in places like this her entire life, wandering from expensive house to expensive house as she enjoyed her free time. _La riche, jolie fille_.

I stopped at the perimeter of the lake, far enough away that the group at the house couldn’t hear me and just screamed. The sound bounced off the dry walls of the hole, echoed through the trees and was absorbed by the fog. The air was dry and cold. My breaths smoked, adding to the area’s cloudy atmosphere.

Hoarse, drunk and at the end of my patience, I stared up at the sky.

Honeysuckle was still in my nose and as I inhaled, it permeated my mind.

My _mére_ had told me sometimes amor is like a disease, eating you with need. My feelings for Evangeline felt like that; like a drug or a venom working her way inside my system and breaking down all my barriers. Fall to Ruin? Fuck me, I was there. My internal structure was nothing but a ripped up frame with shattered bricks.

I ran my hand down my face, scrubbing it hard, my palm coming away filthy. Too much smoke and gunfire... just like the night I lost Clotile. Yet still her thick perfume clung, covering the stench of death and blood. I pulled myself up, beginning to stalk the woods, hunting for something, anything to kill. Anything to take off the edge I felt.

Clotile had died because she hadn't trusted me to get to her. She’d given up because she didn't think I could handle what had been done to her. Just like Evangeline didn’t trust me to handle whatever the hell was going on with her.

Like a bad tooth you couldn’t stop worrying, I pulled the problem out again, twisting it from all angles. Had I given her a reason not to trust me? Had I given her any doubts that I would be too soft or weak to handle it? My boot kicked through a pile of dust and dead leaves as I worked my way through the forest, gnawing on the problem like a dog. I chuckled then, suddenly struck that once I’d called her a _de’pouille_. Guess you’re laughing again Evangline.  Look now who is the hot mess?

Ever since we’d picked up Matthew, that coo-yon fool, that bon a rien, she’d gotten more and more shifty. She whispered all the time with him, seemed to communicate without words in a way I couldn’t touch. It was agonizing... I could see the puzzle but none of the pieces fit.

I told her I'd leave her in the morning, shouted at her that we were done... had worked up the last hours getting ready to seal her to me or cauterize her out. I flexed my hand and the pain helped clear my mind. Without humor, I let out a bark of a laugh. Leave? When even now I could still smell her? Could still taste her sweet lips on mine?

For one moment, I closed my eyes and relived it, that kiss before everything went wrong. I remembered her arms, her warm flesh and the way her clothes had stretched over her generous curves. I opened my eyes. Shivering and thinking thoughts best left ignored, I reached for the bottle I’d been nursing, then remembered it was gone, shattered against the wall during our argument. I shook my head, marveling at how crazed that girl could make me. I felt like I lost all words when I looked at her, as though no matter how I tried, practiced in my head, one look and they ran out like water in a sieve. All I had left was emotion; raw and volatile.

I began to walk again, pacing it out, replaying the argument. Feeling a fool, feeling angry and bitter at how stubborn she was. I’d laid myself bare; practically opened my chest and handed her my beating heart. My only solace, the only spark of hope I had was that I knew she loved me. I was sure she did. Evangeline needed me, needed what I could do for her. Her _mère_ had made it clear she was special, that she had a purpose in this world and I could get behind that. I could follow on, help her... but she wouldn’t let me.

My fury flared once more, like an ember that never could truly be put out. I turned and squeezed my fist, feeling some of my scabs break in the stress. For god's sake she'd been in a cage tonight, scared and in danger, yet still she wanted to continue? What could possibly be so important, so driving that even her own near death or worse couldn’t dissuade her from this insane course?

I began walking again, starting back towards the house where I knew I could find some more whiskey. Evangeline couldn't think she would live long alone without me to watch her six. On the road, other than Selena, she’d been the only girl out there. There was one girl in the last militia, the general’s daughter. Evangaline had been one woman among three-hundred...or more men? Nausea rose in my gut at the thought of what that would do to her, how it would destroy her. The fool girl couldn’t think think she had a chance alone. She couldn't even heat up a damn can let alone defend herself from bagmen and slavers.

I stopped for a moment, standing in place, my eyes on the darkened house, wishing I could understand, wishing this gulf wasn’t so wide between us.

-I could surprise you.- she’d said.

What had she meant? Growing food? She had said she could, that first day on the road. She’d said it with firelight haloing her golden hair while the grief and loss was still fresh in her eyes. Yet once we were on the road, she hadn’t told me how.

I narrowed my eyes, resolute. So she didn't want to trust me? Fine. I would pack my supplies tomorrow and go south. I turned away from the house. In the morning I'd go to Texas and get back to my mission: making General Milovnici's army pay. I'd kill those sick little kids myself and get Clotile some peace. I’d forget this chapter of my life, drop my deadweight and let that fool girl go get herself killed on someone else’s watch.

I reached into the inside zippered pocket of my jacket and opened it. My fingers closed around scuffed plastic. Radcliffe's phone had not fared well on my trip. It was dirty and smudged from handling. The edges were missing paint and the charging dock was scratched from all the different times I’d had to fit a charger in at night. The markings on the bottom were worn away from my fingers and the screen was scratched from dust and dirt.

Step one to getting this girl out of my mind? Throw away these pictures. I looked out at the empty lake hole and then at the phone. Reflexively, my hand clenched around it, before I forced them to loosen. I took a deep breath, tensed my shoulders  and drew my arm back...

I heard the sound of an engine and froze.

The only engine in the place was Finn’s truck. Shit.

I put the phone in my jeans pocket and turned back towards towards the house. I could hear an engine and wheels rolling away from the house. I ran back, taking the steps two at a time, drawing the crossbow up and bursting into the house. Matthew sat in the living room in front of the fire but Evie's bags were gone. _Coo-yôn_ was staring at his hand.

"Evie!"

No answer.

I began to sweat.

I thundered back to the bathroom but froze at the open bedroom door.

There I was, holding Selena up against a wall, my shirt off. Selena was in her bra and panties, her hands locked into my hair. Moans and wet sounds were coming from the two of them. I pointed my bow at the two of them and yelled, “SELENA IT’S SOME SORT OF TRICK!”

Not Me and Selena scrambled, looking at me. I blinked and Not Me turned into Finn. I stepped back, shook my head and looked again. I could have sworn it was me kissing Selena but...it was Finn. I lowered my crossbow, glaring.

“Where is Evie?”

Selena stared at me and then over at Finn. I slitted my eyes and both of them and then slowly brought my bow back up.

“What. The. Fuck. Is. Going. On,” I bit out.

Selena looked concerned then, making me wonder if maybe I was going crazy. “Finn and I were just letting off some steam,” she said easily. “After you made it so clear earlier you were more interested in...Evie.”

I shook my head.

“ _Non_ ,” I said. “There is more to this. You,” I pointed at Finn. “You didn’t look like you a minute ago and that look you two exchanged?” I frowned. “Just like the look that _coo-yôn_ gives Evie. I ain’t playing, me. Tell me what is going on or I’m gonna make you.”

“Dee-vee-oh chases shadows,” Matthew said behind me.

I turned my head. “Don’t you start none of that, you.”

“Seriously JD,” Selena said, her hands up. “I don’t know what you think you saw, but I didn’t think you cared that much if I took up with Finn.”

I lowered my bow, starting to doubt all over again, shaking my head. “I saw what I saw,” I insisted, feeling like this was part of the puzzle, something I was missing. “I saw something and it’s got something to do with...” suddenly I remembered why I’d come storming in here in the first place, this whole scene fogging my mind.

“Evie.” I turned away, looking around. “Her stuff is gone.”

“Maybe little miss princess decided to go sleep outside to give some people some privacy,” Selena said snidely. I frowned. Only I got to call her Princess.

"She's with him now."

I whipped over and saw Matthew looking at the wall. I growled, "Okay coo-yôn, tell me where she is."

"Requiem for a dream. She sings it now,” the boy said as though he watched something. Cold chills climbed my spine. I stepped away and then stormed to the bathroom, stepping away from the broken door. It was empty.

“EVANGELINE GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!” I yelled.

“Hey, uh, Jackson?” I heard Finn say. He was holding a folded piece of paper.  I lunged and snatched it up. Finn’s face was pale.

_"Dear Jackson,_

_I know you're right now. I'm not going to be a resource drain on you or ask you to do any more dirty work. Good luck with Selena._

_I know you don't understand but I have to get to Gran. I hope you'll look after Matthew and just... be happier than you are with me._

_-Evie"_

I stared unbelieving at the tear stained note. Finn’s face was a mask of guilt and his body was pulling in on itself as though he felt shame. I stared at him as I slowly crushed it in my hands.

"She's gone," I said. My resolve hardened. “Looks like she took the truck and headed north to the outer banks.”

“The Empress is in play,” Matthew said solemnly. He looked at me with an almost accusatory glance. “They laugh and the storms come.”

I shook my head at his nonsense and then started for my pack. “We’re going after her., I gritted, tossing the note in the fire. Selena crossed her arms over her chest. She and Finn had gotten dressed while I’d read the stupid note.

“Be reasonable, JD,” Selena said, finger combing her hair into a ponytail. “It’s obvious that Evie doesn’t want to travel with us any more. I say we all just go back to my place. No point in trying to make it over plague country and cannibal land.”

I shook my head. “I’m going,” I said firmly. “You go where you want, but I got promises to keep, me.”

Her nose wrinkled but I turned and started to roll Matthew’s things up, shoving food into one of the spare duffle bags.

“Um, JD?” Selena said, watching me. “You know, Evie took our only working car.”

Finn actually straightened. “Don’t worry about it, Hotness,” he said grandly, turning towards the door. “I can get a vehicle like that.” He snapped his fingers at the last word. I looked over at him.

“Doan go making promises you can’t keep. I’m not goan wait for you to go mess about. Evie is out there by herself.” Alone. Without any survival skills or instincts on how to be safe. I shoved those thoughts away.

Finn wasn’t listening.

“Give me a few hours and we’ll be catching up quick. I saw where your bikes were. I’ve got plenty of gas--”

I stood. “We’ll go with you,” I said. I didn’t trust Finn not to take a bike and run. And to hell if I’d be sitting back here waiting for his ass to get back. I had a deep suspicion that it was his fault Evie had turned tail and run, though my guilt of our last words ate at me.

Selena rolled her eyes but then left, going to get her own things.

Finn grinned. “You know, I’ll give you a fifth if you take Matthew and let me ride with Selena.”

I held out my hand. He looked surprised. “Boy is with me until we get Evie back,” I said grimly, remembering her note. She wanted me to do something? Fine. But when I found her I was goan bend that girl over my knee and spank her for the worry she was putting me through.

===

It took two hours to get back to the bikes. Two hours we spent in total silence. The more we walked, the more convinced I was Evie had seen those two... seen Finn and thought he was me.

I knew that beast, that _jalouse_. But to leave? She hadn’t left because of our fight. She hadn’t given up because of her lack of trust... she’d given up because she thought I’d chosen Selena over her. I had to get to her, to tell it was une meterie, one of the biggest lies she’d ever believed.

I moved my hand into the pocket of my bug out bag and pulled out the poppy-red ribbon I’d stolen from her the night of her birthday party. I looked at it, and then wrapped it around my hand. My nose was clear. I couldn’t smell honeysuckle anymore. But when I held that silky token, I could remember that night, remember her miniskirt and flushed face... remember how much I’d wanted her then and Jesus help me, I still did. How could that fool girl really think I could be with someone like Selena when I was so gone for her.

The sun was rising as we got close to the bikes. Resolve heated my gut as we approached. I was going to find her and make this right. One way or another.

===

We drove hard all that day, flying over the old road and through dead brush, turning it to dust as we broke through it. Selena and Finn were on one bike and I was on the Ducati with Matthew behind me, humming Particle Man off key. I was irritated but nothing could touch the worry that was eating me.

The fog and cold was sharp, made sharper by the speed of our bikes. I watched the road for signs of her passage, for signs of her vehicle breaking or running out of gas. I'd never let her drive on the road, too concerned that she wouldn't be able to handle the dust storms that plagued travel.

We picked up her trail after hours of travel. The sunlight was weak and I realized that it was almost nightfall. She was driving reckless, the wheels of her truck swerving in the dust. She'd stopped here to source some gas from an old and rusted convience store. We stopped as well. I walked the building, looking for any sign that she'd been hurt, or worse, assaulted during her resource hunt.

"JD?"

I turned. Selena was standing in the doorway of the store. I pulled my bandana down, looking at her.

"We need to take a break." She said. "It's getting close to dark. She doesn't have too much of a lead on us and you are a wreck."

I shook my head. " _Non_." I started back for the entrance but Selena didn't budge.

"You need to eat and to do something about that leg before it gets infected. Your hands are a mess. Finn says he can get the well and the pump to work here. He just checked the tank levels and it looks like we can refuel too. She's going to have to go on foot soon and we'll all catch up."

I shook my head, but her words made sense, penetrating my intense drive with doubt.

"Matthew is worn out," she continued. "And if we don't get you patched up soon..." Her voice trailed off when the lights of the old store flickered on. I jumped, my hand going to my gun.

She smiled then, a soft and comforting smile. "I'm sure she's just fine, Jack. God watches after fools and children, right?"

Finn and Matthew walked in next and after a moment of sizing up Matthew, I decided she was right.

“We start first thing in the morning,” I growled. I walked to the corner of the store and began to check it out for the night. The emergency doors were rusted shut and bolted. It was empty in the large room, all the metal shelves piled against the sides of the walls. The tile floor was cracked and dirty and the walls were smudged with dust. The windows were cracked but the iron grates around the outside were sturdy. I was unnerved by the buzzing lights.

“JD,” Selena said. “Come here and I’ll look at that leg.”

I shook my head.

“I got it,” I told her, sliding down against a wall where I could see the entrance. Matthew was silently woofing down one of the candy bars from Finn’s stash. Selena pouted and I immediately felt like an ass. But how was I suppose to explain that it felt like even more of a betrayal to let another woman heal me when I hurt? Hadn’t this whole foolishness begun with that wrong-headed idea?

I peeled back the material of my jeans and surveyed the damage. It wasn’t bad. A bit raw and dirty, but I’d had road rash that was more severe. I rolled the pant leg up and pulled my canteen out, wetting my bandana so I could wipe the wound down.

Evie had always done this for me, I realized. She’d never seemed startled or disgusted with cleaning me up and while she might have been a bit clumsy, she’d never flinched. I wiped the wound with the damp cloth, remembering how I’d found her mère all those weeks ago. Evie had changed that bandage every day. I’d seen how hard it was for Karen to breathe. Couldn’t have been easy for her to handle that.

I closed my eyes when I remembered her, the guilt and pain of her loss like gut check. I looked at my knuckles and irrationally, I missed her sweet kisses over them.

It didn’t take long to wrap the burn and roll my jeans back down. The cloth over the leg was a lost cause. I made a mental note to source some new jeans the next time we passed some corpses. I leaned back, staring at the dark opening. Without any indication of the ache I was starting to feel I stood.

"Where are you going?” Selena asked brightly. Finn gave her an annoyed look.

 "Goan look ‘round and see if there is any sign of people using this area as a base,” I said, shouldering my bag and bow. “Be back soon.”

 “I’ll go with you,” she said, starting to rise.

 “ _Non_.” I waved her back. “Spend some time with your _beau_ there and watch after _coo-yôn_. Got to be alone, me.”

 She seemed disappointed, but I was too tired to care. I itched to just take a bike and leave them both but would Evangeline forgive me if I’d let something happen to her pet? _Jamais_.

I looked around the building but it was vacant. Dust blew in small hills around the side of the walls and I realized that it could have fit right at home near Bayou Gauche. There was a road about three miles outside of Basin where Ol’ Jon Babin had run a small store. It was both the liquor and closest grocery store within ten miles of my house as well as the closest gas. He’d had pumps like these; old with clicking dials and a slow run. I used to get small treats there when my _mère_ had been on a good streak.

It felt odd to remember life before the apocalypse, odd to miss the Basin, a place I’d been dying to get out of. Yet now? I’d do anything to go back.

I stopped close to the emergency door that had been blocked. There was still a small wedge-like crack that seemed permanent. I hadn’t seen it on the other side. I looked, trying to figure out how to better secure it when I realized that Matthew, Selena and Finn were talking.

“Cards! Cards. Cards...”

“It’d be helpful if you gave us more than we already know.”

That was Matthew and Finn.

Selena sighed loudly. “I bet she left because she has some plan. She claims to not know, but with a tarasova grandmother, how couldn’t she?” Tarasova? What the hell was a Tarasova?

“An Old Man in the Guise of a Boy...” Matthew said ominously. Again, that chill ran down my spine. I stopped breathing, listening to their words.

“Hey, I heard that voice!” It was Finn and he sounded excited. “Just like before you two showed up. Crazy like a Fox, right Matto?”

“Everyone else should be called Mattic,” the crazy boy replied.

I heard something scraping along the tile floor. “You two are lame. I’m going to go find Jackson.”

“Dee-vee-oh helps when he hurts,” Matthew said. It sounded as though he was leaning back.

“Don’t you mean that reversed kid?” Finn asked.

“Perfect punishment,” Matthew yawned. “A poisoned price for a poisoned lure.”

“Ugh. You creep me out when you go all crazysauce,” Selena said.

I backed away, feeling unnerved. _C’est suprenant_. I quietly began to circle again. They knew what she was. I was sure now. They knew why Evangeline was going to see her grandmother, why she was doing this. I needed to find her and I knew now that if I could just keep listening, I’d know more when I found her, more about the secret that she was trying so hard to hide.

===

We set off the next morning right as the sun was creeping over the fog.

It was noon when we located her truck, abandoned in the middle of the road. She’d been too weak to push it out of the street.

With a full tank of gas, we might have caught up to her that night, might have closed the distance by nightfall -- but our tanks ran empty a few hours later, forcing us to abandon the bikes.

I vowed to myself after I found Evangeline again that I’d never yell at her for slowing me down. Matthew was twice the deadweight she’d ever been, and the boy continued to make noise we couldn’t afford. When it hit dark, we were still hours away. Selena and Finn called a stop again when it got dark. I felt caged, frustrated with them for slowing me down. I knew if I just could keep going, I’d find her sleeping spot, find her hole where she hid for the night and get her back, but I was held back by my new group, my new responsibility.

As we sat against trees that night, Matthew sleeping soundly and Finn snoring, Selena tried to sidle up to me again.

“I never thought I’d end up like this,” she mused.

I looked over. “What? In the woods with strangers chasing a girl you drove off?”

She looked offended.

“Jesus JD, way to spoil the moment. I meant I never thought I’d be able to be with someone like you. Someone strong and,” she grinned as she leaned forward, “sexy.”

I stood up then, walking away.

“What?” she called. “What’d I say?”

I leaned against a tree farther away. End up? Hell, before the Flash I’d have been lucky not to end up dead in a canal as gator food, much less what I wanted.

Which, damn my rotten soul, was Evangeline.

I didn’t talk with Selena until the next day, and then, only to warn her of pot holes in the road.

Finn jumped as soon as we got to the outskirts of a burned out sign. In faded letters it read, “Requiem, 2 miles.”

“Uh, Cajun?” Finn said, stopping, looking at the ramp that seemed to lead to just another dusty side road, “I think she went that way.”

I turned, looking irritated. “Why would she go there? It’s off the way to North Carolina. She goes that way and she’ll never find her way back to the northern road.”

“Yeah,” Selena said, amused. “Because Evie is so good at directions.”

“The Empress meets the Hermit,” Matthew said, looking at the road.

“I don’t think it makes sense to go that way,” Selena said, putting a hand on her hip.

Finn grimaced, looking annoyed with her. Then he put his hand on Matthew’s shoulder.

“What do you think, man? Think Evie went to Requiem?”

“Requiem for a dream.” Matthew replied, staring off. “The battles must be won. The marks earned.”

I looked closely at the boy. That phrase, that was what he’d said earlier when I’d asked him where Evangeline was. I nodded curtly. “Then _mais ouias_. We go.” I started off towards the ramp.

They followed.

I wasn’t sure until an hour later when we’d reached the sign at the town. Someone was caring for it. Dread started to settle. We neared the road and I saw signs up, asking passersby for their stories. Evangeline had been looking for people on the road, had refused to believe that all the survivors of the apocalypse seemed to be the worst humanity had to offer.

“Fool, where is she,” I demanded, grabbing Matthew.

He looked at me and nodded. “She plays.”

I began to jog, looking around. I saw something I hadn’t seen in months then, movement on the ground, as if from vines. Ahead, about a football’s length away I saw a tree slam into a house... a real live tree. Then I heard a shriek of pain.

“Evangeline!” The words burst from my chest, her scream rocketing through me. Had to get to her.

My heart began to pound in my ears. I started to run. Behind me I heard our group starting to jog to catch me. Another movement, this time from vines racing along broken houses, bright green with red leaves.

“Evie! Answer me, damn it!” I paused at the crossroad to the neighborhood, circling, trying to follow the greenery with my eyes. “Where are you?”

Matthew, Finn and Selena caught up as I grabbed Matthew. I got in his face. “Tell me exactly where she is boy! Or I’ll gut you, I swear it to Christ!”

Again, another cry of pain. I whipped toward it, scenting it like a dog would smell a fox. I began to lope towards the sound, pulling out my crossbow. That was her. I knew it was her.

“Evangeline!” I felt as though I couldn’t get enough air. Roses, the scent nauseously thick. I could hear her, but I couldn’t see her. I couldn’t tell where she was or how close... though I thought maybe I was gaining on her.

Suddenly, in the distance, I heard a sound that reminded me of a hurricane’s explosion. Wood shattered and I froze, looking ahead as a giant, living oak tree bent itself down and shattered a house. The roof caved in and rose bushes bigger than any I had ever seen before the Flash rushed forward, their vines like arms, pulling and tearing glass out. I shook my head, unable to trust my eyes.

This time I heard another yell, a male scream of pain and fury. I moved forward, cautious and worried. Behind me Selena, Finn and Matt fell back. Then, a cry of death... and tearing. Fear ripped through me. The house was swirling with thornbushes and vines.

“Evangeline,” I called again. I moved towards the house, calling again, “Bèbè, answer me! Please...”

I neared and then slowed. On that broken porch, she stood, not looking like the girl who I’d been with days before. Her eyes were green and her skin glowed with bizarre moving tattoos. Her hair was blonde at the roots but it quickly darkened into a blood red that was twined with flowers, whipping around her face. Part of her shirt was burnt away, her jeans were missing chunks on her thighs and legs and her skin underneath was pale and smooth. Around her, like giant and terrifying snakes, plants curled and bobbed around her. She had blood, dirt and sweat stains on her and the entire area was awash in the thick perfume of roses.

She reached out a hand and I realized with horror that her dainty fingers were now tipped with dripping claws that looked deep purple. She stroked a blood red rose with the tips of her fingers.

Behind me I heard Finn whisper, “Never thought you’d walk in.”

As I stared, drinking her in, trying to understand, she turned her head as if she heard a noise. With an imperious gesture she waved a hand and the vines parted further, three mangled and terrified girls rushing from the house, screaming down the steps and tearing past us into the empty distance.

I closed my hand around her ribbon, still knotted around my fist. She broke eye contact with me then, looking at something on her hand. I swallow as I start to realize that THIS was what she was afraid to tell me. This... whatever she is... was her secret.

I stepped forward at first while she was lost in whatever haze she was in, and then she looked up and I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe, I was so stunned.

This creature couldn’t be Evangeline. Couldn’t be my Evangeline, the girl scared to pluck sunglasses off a dead body, the girl too fearful of shooting a bagman. She was looking at me still and I swallowed, trying to think of words, of anything to tell her... when the house behind her started to collapse. My eyes widened as it began to fall in. She frowned and looked to the side, her eyes on the plants as they begin to rush out, dropping support beams, chunks of walls and roof. She stumbled as it fell behind her, crashing to the ground.

My jaw slowly dropped open as it all hit me at once. SHE did this. These plants, they were hers. They did what she THOUGHT at them to do. I saw something red to the side and squinted... at half of a dead man.

It was too much, too wrong. I stumbled back, praying to God that somehow I would figure my way out of this. I crossed myself out of fear. Who was this woman?

And would I get out of this alive?

I stared. Stared at the girl I loved who was superimposed with a creature I did not know. She began to laugh then, a crazed laugh that made me want to run. Just as I thought I might, I felt cool moisture on my cheek. I touched my face. Was I crying? No... Rain.

As Evangeline and I stared at each other, drops fell between us...

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my beta TurtleTotem! Couldn't have done it without you girl.


End file.
